A member of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon. Adeoye Aribasoye, has mourned the sudden passing of the Speaker, Hon. Funminiyi Afuye, describing his death as excruciating and sorrowful to the state and all his admirers.
Aribasoye, who represents Ikole Constituency 2, said Afuye occupied a pivotal section in the state’s political history as one leader who at a critical time stood to be counted among the people that fought against those he described as holocausts, who wanted to seize power by fiat.
Aribasoye said this in his condolence message to Governor Biodun Oyebanji, members of the House of Assembly and Ikere Community on the passage of the illustrious Ekiti politician and leader.
The Human Rights lawyer commended Afuye for sacrificing all he had for the love of his state and nation by contesting into leadership positions to effect changes.
He said Afuye had left a huge vacuum that would be an herculean task to fill in Ekiti politics, urging the All Progressives Congress, his family and the government of Ekiti State to accept his demise with equanimity and take solace in the fact that “God is the sole giver and taker of life”.
He said: “The sudden death of this enigmatic and proficient lawmaker, Rt Hon Funminiyi Afuye, was very rattling, saddening and mournful. It is one incident that will linger in my heart for too long.
“In the House of Assembly, the late Speaker was not just our leader, he was a father and repository of knowledge. He always acted as a saviour each time we ran into a logjam in the performance of our duties due to his wealth of experience and exposure in the game of lawmaking.
“He was not only patriotic, Hon Afuye was a stabiliser. He partnered the government of Ekiti State through his leadership of the assembly without compromising his integrity and the assembly corporate entity.
“He was firm, steadfast, painstaking and believed in due diligence. May his soul rest in the bosom of the Lord.
“The good people of Ekiti State will never forget his lofty and priceless contributions to the development of Ekiti State and Nigeria in broader spectrum.”